2 Broke Girls and the Halloween Ball
by LoveLorned
Summary: Caroline Channing is one of New York's richest socialite; Max is just a broke diner waitress from Brooklyn. Caroline has a secret crush on Johnny; Max is in a relationship with Johnny. What ensues when their opposite tracks tangle with one another during a Halloween Ball?
1. The Halloween Ball - Max

**October 31 - The Halloween Ball (Max)**

I can't believe Johnny suckered me into attending this Halloween ball with him. All the pretentious upper class societies and their snooty parties. They only invited Johnny because they pretend that they understand his art. Really, no one knows what his art really conveys except for him. Even I don't get most of it and I've been dating him for more than six months now. We try our best to never discuss work - that means paintings and sketches for him and waitressing and diner gossips for me. But he was able to convince me to come to this ball after begging and pleading five times, then bringing me a basket of Swiss chocolates. How can I resist that?

Champagne, bubbly and refreshing. I gulp mine instantaneously. The best reason to attend a ball - open bar! I plan to get wasted on all these fancy cocktails and wines they serve. And of course, there's also the delicious appetizers that the servers bring around every five minutes. I try to make the most out of this miserable event by gorging myself with spinach quiches. Cheese and spinach, what a perfect combination. As I savour the last bit of quiche, my eyes glance over at Johnny and I see him fraternising with a circle of women. The women in their lustful and sexy gowns with masks covering their faces, are huddled around him ready to strike at a willing prey. Anger seethes from within me and my face heats up. You may wonder why I'm not there holding on to Johnny, clinging to him tightly like a Barbie to Ken. It's bad for his business as an artist especially if you're catering your work to the bourgeoise - the fancy word for upper-class snobs. It's a given that artists have to be flexible and willing to flirt and network your way around. Artists are supposed to be creative and not boxed in. Ironically, Johnny is trying to fit into that artist box.

Johnny always does this; he loves flirting with women and I wouldn't be surprised if he considers it as one of the perks of being an artist. Ladies find artists sexy. There is an air of mystery, danger and intrigue floating about them that draws everyone who is around them. I thought he would change when we started dating but it's still the same. I try to keep my cool but I've confronted him about this problem a number of times. He merely shrugs it off as if it's not true which pisses me off. He argues that I get jealous too easily and I hate it when he brings this up. It hits home for me because I don't have anyone who really loved me. My dad left and my mom is in prison. Yeah, my life is not the kind of stuff that would make it into a Disney movie but I've learned to deal. How I coped was to not let anyone into my life anymore. I liked being alone, living alone and not having to care about anyone else or worry that anyone cared for me. That was until the day Johnny entered the diner and chatted with me. I have never felt more comfortable with another stranger. We just clicked. I started sharing my personal stories with him; I never worried that he would judge me. He was always there to listen, not to give advice or tell me how screwed up I am, but just to listen. So I made an exception, and I told myself I would let someone into my life again just this once.

I glance over at Johnny's circle again and roll my eyes at the sight of Johnny giggling with the bevy of ladies. This party officially sucks; if only I could just disappear into my apartment and go to sleep in my bed. I finally decide to get up and leave this stupid party. My legs start walking out towards the front door. As I near the entrance, a loud voice booms from the speakers: "Ladies and gentlemen, please give your warmest applause as we welcome Caroline Channing, the daughter of the multi-billionaire and philantrophist, Martin Channing. The Channings sponsored this masquerade ball so that all you guests can enjoy the overflowing champagne and hors d'oeuvres."

All the guests burst in applause. I do too since I'm thankful for the free food and drinks. That's all this lame party has going for it. Caroline catwalks her way to the entrance in a red Monique Lhuillier halter evening gown. My gown is not even a designer gown; I bought it off the clearance section of K-Mart. She is gorgeous - I'll give her that. She reminds me of those angels in the Victoria Secret fashion runs. She even waves like one of the beauty queens in a pageant - sickeningly demure. Come on, we live in the 21st century now. As she makes her way through the crowd, cheers and whistles erupt from the room. Yes, give people free booze and you get them eating out of your palm. That's the world we live in and I am part of it too, so it's not like I view myself on a pedestal compared to others.

After about an hour, Caroline makes her way to Johnny's circle. Although I don't think she is Johnny's type, I still worry because she is very beautiful especially tonight. And add to that - extremely rich. 2 for Caroline, 0 for Max. Now I hate her with a passion for making me feel inferior. But then, she's blonde so she's probably a dumb bimbo anyway.

Caroline laughs after Johnny says something. Johnny smiles and shakes her hand.

Because I can't help what I'm feeling anymore, I head towards Johnny and put my arms around him. He jerks in surprise but grins when he sees my face. I give Caroline the evil stare, my trademark death stare, hoping she can read what's on my mind. He's mine, you little minx. She flashes me an intimidating look and I instantly know that the game is on. She's after my Johnny just because she thinks she can have her hands on anything in this damn world. Oh how disappointed she'll be that she won't be able to buy her way to what she wants this time. Well, she has to learn the lesson some time and I'm ecstatic that I'm the one to bring her hopes crashing down.

"Johnny, is she your girlfriend?" Caroline asks.

"Oh, I forgot my manners. This is Max. We've been dating for about six months now."

Caroline extends her hand and I shake it firmly, setting her straight and marking my territory. "It's an absolute pleasure to meet THE Caroline Channing." I say it with a hint of sarcasm. I think Caroline noticed the unfriendly tone because she pulls her hand back quickly and the color on her face became pale.

"I'll leave you now but it was great chatting with you, Johnny. And as I said, if you ever want to talk about art and how the Channing foundation can help sponsor your art works, you can give me a call." She hands Johnny her business card and blows a kiss in the air for him.

My right eyebrow curves up. The nerve of that woman! Luckily, she gets out of my hair and just leaves us alone for the rest of the night. I cling to Johnny like a trophy girlfriend (if I can be considered a trophy) while we saunter our way through all the different circles. Boy, am I glad that I am not an artist. I don't think I'll be able to survive this kind of mooching, day in and day out. The night already leaves me exhausted and I plop down on my bed as soon as we arrive back home in my apartment.


	2. The Halloween Ball - Caroline

**October 31 - Halloween Ball (Caroline)**

Another social function that I have to do for daddy's non-profit organization. I pat powder and blush on my cheeks and finish the rest of my make-up. I check myself out at the mirror and make sure my hair and make-up are good enough. People think that this is easy for me, that I must be used to hosting these big balls and parties; they are dead wrong. Every single time, I still feel butterflies in my stomach and they never go away until the last guest leaves the party. As a host, I have to make sure everything is going smoothly in the party: guests are enjoying their time, food and drinks are being served regularly, setup and tear down are completed on time, and of course I have to look fabulous as well. The press and media always cover my parties and I can't risk showing up on the front page looking like one of those drugged-up has been.

Today's ball is for a sensational up and coming artist named Johnny. Prestigious art galleries have hailed his works as the rebirth of Picasso. His signed paintings have more than doubled in value in the art auctions. You'll hear his name being dropped at every street corner in the Upper East Side. Really, he's the only reason I'm delighted to attend this masquerade ball we are sponsoring. Daddy told me he is a gentleman. Too bad he's already taken, but a girl can still dream.

My cellphone rings and it's daddy calling me.

His voice keeps on breaking but I am able to make out some of the phrases. "Caroline…I won't be able to make it to the ball anymore."

"Daddy, is something wrong?" I can hear it in his voice - a worry, something serious.

He pauses, then continues choppily. "No, darling…It's just business as usual. You know how it is…I get pulled whenever something comes up." Static followed by silence. "I'm so sorry, Caroline…I really wanted to attend the ball and spend the evening with you." I'm used to hearing these apologies from daddy by now.

"You don't have to apologise. I understand. Your work is very important." I try my best to mask the disappointment in my voice. In fairness, I really do understand the magnitude and seriousness of his role as the CEO of a hedge fund. Still, I feel like I'm always at the tail end of his queue, that I'm always the lowest priority.

"Will you be good hosting the party alone?" He asks.

"I can do it. I'll be fine"

He catches the hint of sadness in my response and tries to make a save. "Sweetie, I promise…I'll make it up to you."

Even that offer sounds bare to me. "Alright." I reply back, indifferent.

He hangs up and the housemaid comes up to get me. Our chauffeur is waiting outside already.

The drive to Waldorf Astoria, where the ball is taking place, takes fifteen minutes. My dad rented the biggest ballroom for the night just like he does every Thanksgiving day to host a soup kitchen for the homeless people. Today, the ballroom is decorated more glamorously in metallic purple and red.

The front doors burst open and I am escorted in by our resident bodyguard. He has served our family for more than ten years and I know I can trust him with my life. His presence gives me comfort and calms my nerves down a bit. At least, I know I'm not alone; I doubt though that he is feeling the same churn inside his gut. He only has to escort me in and he can leave the party afterwards, unlike me. I am stuck here, having to come up with clever starters to chit chat and engage in small talk with these strangers I don't particularly know or care about.

The emcee announces my name and follows it with a wonderful introduction. This is my cue so I smile politely and walk slowly down the middle of the room. All the eyes are fixated at me and I hold my smile longer to make them feel welcome. I search for a friendly face inside the room. No one looks familiar to me. Then I see Johnny and he is surrounded by a group of ladies who seem to be having the time of their lives. I wonder which of them is his girlfriend. I decide to approach his circle first, since he's the only one I was really looking forward to meet this evening.

I introduce myself to Johnny, forcing out a shy smile. "I'm Caroline Channing."

"Of course I know you, Ms. Channing." He shakes my hand. "I'm Johnny. Well, at least that's what people call me. Thank you for hosting this ball in support of all of us indie artists." He winks and now I really do have a crush on him. He's smooth and suave like James Bond but within my age range.

My voice becomes high-pitched because of excitement. "You're very welcome! I love art. I mean - my father and I love supporting the arts. You artists just bring more life and imagination to this world we live in. So really, thank YOU!" I blush and grin widely.

"It's very hard for new artists to break ground nowadays. It's people like you and your father who are champions in spreading more culture and artistry within New York. So I really look up to you and applaud all your efforts." He smiles. "But enough of the formalities. May I say you look absolutely stunning!"

I blush even more; hopefully it's not very obvious. "You don't look too shabby yourself." I respond back.

"You mean I don't qualify as gorgeous or handsome? Just not shabby?"

I laugh at his quick response. "Hah. Now, your humor has just elevated you to deadly gorgeous."

He beams proudly. "You're a quick wit yourself. Didn't expect that from someone so rich. I thought you would be uptight, but I was clearly wrong."

His candidness makes me laugh even more. "I was afraid you would assume something like that. I'm glad we met in person so I could cast your doubts away."

Before he can give a smart reply, someone interrupts the flow of our conversation by joining our circle. A brunette with long wavy locks wraps her arm over Johnny's shoulder. I instinctively know that she is his girlfriend. There is stiff tension in the air that even Jon Stewart won't be able to cut through. She gives me a dirty and unwelcome look, which I take as my signal to leave. I say goodbye to Johnny and give him my business card so we can keep in touch. I hope he does keep in touch.


	3. Starbucks coffee shop - Caroline

**Starbucks coffee shop - Caroline**

The barista at Starbucks whip up my grande caramel machiato with no whipped cream and soy milk instead of regular. I'm meeting Johnny finally. He called me two days ago and told me he wanted to talk to me about some art installations and projects he's dreaming up. I didn't really remember all the details. I was more focused on the low dark sexy tone of his voice and how he pronounces the words he says. The day I met him at the Halloween Ball, it was hard to focus on anything else. Even when I walked across the room to socialise with other guests in the party, my mind surreptitiously wandered off to Johnny.

He enters through the entrance, wearing a brown trench coat that reaches just above his boots. The weather has been fickle here in New York. Usually by the time Halloween rolls by, we are at the cusp of transitioning from fall to winter weather. This time, it seems like fall was short. He orders himself a venti-sized cup of Pike Place coffee and looks for me inside. I wave my right hand eagerly and his eyes meet with mine. My heart melts and I feel goosebumps on my skin. He now has this effect on me whenever I happen upon him staring at me. He takes his trenchcoat off, pulls the chair in front of me and takes a seat.

I smile and tell him: "Thanks for meeting with me Johnny. I'm glad my business card was put to good use." I take a sip of my machiato.

He smiles too. "The pleasure is all mine, Caroline. I want to thank you again for holding that magnificent Halloween ball for support us aspiring artists."

I blush and reply back: "You're welcome."

Then, he starts talking again but now he's down to business. I was hoping he would chit chat first and engage in small talk. But this is fine too. "The reason I'm meeting with you is that I want to ask for your family's support. My local art group wants to hold a nouveau art display in one of the boutique museums in the Chelsea area, where the hippies and artsies hang out. But we need money. I will be totally honest with you. We won't be able to make any progress without some sort of funding from a benefactor such as yourself - the Channings. Of course, I understand if this request will be met with strings attached and that's why I'm here. I want to negotiate with you and my group so we can decide on a win-win agreement."

_If you were someone else, I would have walked out by now. But you're THE Johnny so I will give you some consideration._ "Ok, I'm listening. What kind of art display are we talking about?"

"We want to do something modern, innovative…something no one has done before. We want a snippet of a circus performance like Cirque du Soleil introducing the art installations every night. And it will have a different them every night so the performance should match whatever the theme is."

Caroline nodded to show Johnny that she is listening and that he has her full attention.

Johnny continued explaining the concept of his ideas to Caroline, making hand gestures to reinforce the effect of the ideas. "The artworks will be installed in bizaare contraptions to highlight the circus feel for the display. So instead of being hung on a wall like how galleries typically have them, there will be an illusion to make them seem like they are floating in air."

"I like it!" Caroline said excitedly. She could already imagine in her mind how the art exhibit would turn out. Her family's name would be backing the exhibit which means that all the press and media will have the Channings mentioned somewhere in their articles and coverage. _This will be good publicity. Besides, we might even get credited for launching Johnny's career if he makes it big._ "I'll pitch it to my dad and we'll see where it goes."

Johnny smiled. "Great, I'm glad we met up. Thanks again for hearing me out."

"No, thank you for thinking about our organization to back your art exhibit." _And I'm always just glad to see you again._ "Maybe we can meet again some time over dinner, when I have the answer for you."

"Sure, that sounds great. You give me a call then when you've chatted with your dad. You have my number right?"

Caroline pulled out her cellphone and searched for Johnny's name in her contact list. "Yes, I do." She showed Johnny the phone number she had under his name. "Is that right?"

"Yup, that's my number."

"Can I take your picture right now to use for your profile? That way your face will show up when you're calling or when I'm calling you." She held out her phone like a camera and focused the center on Johnny's face.

"Sure thing." Johnny grinned widely. "CHEEESE!"

Snap! Caroline took the shot. She looked at the picture and then showed it to Johnny for approval.

"Great, what can I say. I look even more dashing on an iPhone."

Caroline let out a loud laugh. "Hah! Can't say I agree. I like you more in 3D, when you're sitting right in front of me." Caroline looked at the wall clock. It was already 4 o' clock. _Time sure flies when you're enjoying yourself._ "Anyway, I have to get going and I'm sure you have other things you need to get to as well. It was a pleasure hearing about your mind-blowing and earth-shattering art exhibit idea. Oh, and just between you and me. I'm liking your chances." Caroline winked her eye flirtatiously, then left.

As soon as Caroline exited the doors of Starbucks, Johnny grabbed his cellphone and dialed Max's number.

"Hi honey, what's up?" Max answered on the other line.

"I pitched the idea to Caroline Channing and she loved it!" His voice was booming with energy. "We're almost there. I can imagine the display already materializing. She said she'll bring it up with Martin and then they'll decide."

"That's great news! I told you they'd love it. I'm so glad for you. What time are we meeting again tonight?"

"7' o clock at your apartment."

"Ok, I'll buy a fancy champagne and we'll pop it to celebrate."

"Can't wait. See you tonight. Love you, Max."

"Love you too."

Then, they both hung up.


	4. The Art Exhibit - Max

**The Art Exhibit - Max**

Today is the art installation that my Johnny has been planning for two months. Despite my reservations of letting the Channings sponsor his debut, I have to say that I'm astounded by the end result. Everything looks perfect and it seems like he made the right choice. The Channings have dough and this art exhibit reeks of money in the most artistic ways.

Johnny is not wearing his usual attire of a graphic tee and blue jeans. Tonight, he looks like a dashing movie star. He reminds me of Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black. While I'm admiring his get-up, Caroline Channing comes into the picture and approaches Johnny.

_That rich spoiled bitch._ She's lucky that her family's rich otherwise, she won't be worth anything in this earth. That fake affectionate smile. It disgusts me. My defense radar is calling me again. I go to the bartender and grab two glasses of martini and head towards Johnny.

"Here, I got you your favorite Grey Goose martini, honey." I give him a glass of martini and I wrap my other arm around him. I dart my attention towards Caroline and raise my eyebrow. _He's taken bitch. Stop hoping!_

A sly and slightly sinister smile creeps up her face. "I love Grey Goose martini too! That's my favorite drink." She pats Johnny on his chest as a sign of approval. "You sure have amazing taste."

"Is that so?" He asks Caroline. Then he gives her the glass of martini I brought him. "You can have mine. I think I've drank three of these now and since I'm the main feature artist in this exhibit, I better stay sobber." He throws a friendly laugh at the end.

That felt like a slap on my face. Caroline looks at my expression and I know she's enjoying what's happening immensely.

"That's true. Well, cheers to you and your artwork Johnny!" She giggles lightly after she says it.

I swear I wanted to choke her neck right then. _What a manipulative bitch! _I let go of Johnny because I'm not feeling it anymore and leave them together. I sip my Grey Goose martini. _Thank God you are always here for me. You never change. _The artworks hang from the ceiling and they do make the entire exhibit feel like you're in a dream land. While examining the works of art, my emotions are lost. The jealousy I was feeling has mellowed down. I no longer feel the anger through my vains when I see the blonde witch, Caroline Channing. _This is good. Maybe I should get another glass._ I head to the bartender and he asks: "What can I make for you, beautiful lady?"

_Ooooh, he's flirting with me._ I check him out quietly. His physique reminds me of Puck from Glee. _Very sexy. You look like you're fun._ I put the empty glass of martini down the bar table, prop my elbows on the table and lean closer to him. "What's your special drink?", I ask in a soft voice, almost like a whisper.

He grabs his mixer and starts pouring in shots of vodka, gin, tequila, rasberry juice, mango juice and spritzer. Then he mixes them vigorously and pours it into a cocktail glass. Then he grabs a bottle of Johnny Walker whiskey and pours a shot on top. He beams a wide smile and hands me the cocktail proudly. "Here, try this. Let me know how much you like it."

I look at him starry-eyed. For me, he's James Bond right now. "You're my hero." I take the glass from him gratefully. I start drinking with one gulp. It burns, but in a good way. I can feel it go through my throat and hit my insides. _Just what I needed for a night like this._ I do a thumbs up sign and he smiles at me.

"What's your name, cutie?" I ask him. My hand is playing with the tie on his polo shirt.

"Jay."

"As in the letter J?" I start giggling.

"Yes, maam. What's your name?" He asks. He holds my hand so I stop playing with his tie.

I think. _My name? What is it again?_ "Uhmmm. I honestly can't remember." I open my purse and take out my driver's license and flash it to him. "Here! Whatever that says."

He looks closer at my driver's license. "Max Black. Cool name. You look pissed in your photo ID."

"Hahahaha." I look at my photo. "You're right. So you're not only hot. You're smart too."

He indulges my nonsense and just smiles at me. "I would normally take that as offensive but since you're clearly wasted and you probably won't remember any of this conversation tomorrow, I'll let you slip this time."

I do a general's salute to him. "Thank you Mr. Jay. You are right. I am wasted. W-A-S-T-E-D."

He reaches for my hand, the one that I use to hold my drink. "Maybe you should not finish the rest of that drink."

"You made this drink for me, didn't you? So I'm going to finish every last sip of it." I pull my hand back and spill some of the drink on my dress. "Oops. I'm wet now and it's all your fault."

His expression is now serious and I can sense that he's annoyed by my drunken antics.

As he grabs a towel and start patting on the wet part of my dress, I chug the rest of the drink. And, I instinctively regret it. _Ugh, the alcohol has hit me big time_. The bartender is starting to become a blur. I raise my head straight and try to shift my eyes around to map out my surroundings. Everything is hazy and I can see double or even triple of some people. _Uh oh_.

_"_SIR!" I say. "MR. BARTENDER! JAY! K! L!"

He looks at me weird. "Shhh, keep your voice down. You're attracting attention."

"Hihihi..SORRY!" I apologize. "I'LL SPEAK SOFTER."

He shakes his head. "Still not doing it."

_Shit! Am I making a fool of myself? _"I CAN'T CONTROL IT." I can barely hear what I am saying, more so what the bartender is telling me. All I hear in my head is a loud constant whirring. It bothers the hell out of me. _I think I'm getting a migraine._

Jay comes closer to me and tells me again: "Please stop making a scene, Max."

His eyes are glaring at me but I find them dangerously attractive. I pull him in and start kissing him on the neck, slowly working my way up to his lips. His lips are soft and I like how the kiss feels. He resists and tries to push me away but I cling on to him tighter.

Then, someone grabs me on the shoulders and pulls me back, breaking me away from Jay. I look up to see who it is, but my vision is still blurred and I can only make out the rough figure. _Am I dreaming?_ "JOE BLACK? THIS IS SO COOL."

Then, his hands release me and I see him throw a fast punch and it lands on the face of the bartender. _Poor Jay._

Jay retaliates with an uppercut. I hear a lot of shouting and chanting around me but everything still ends up becoming a mess in my head.

_What is going on here? _I plop myself onto the bar table for support and I lie my head on top of my hands. I just want to sleep. I try to keep it open and start blinking. But I'm too weak and my eyes shut down.


	5. The Morning after at Max's Apartment

**The Morning After at Max's apartment - Max**

I wake up, my head feels like an anvil just pounded on it repeatedly. _Worst hangover ever!_ I check the time on my alarm clock. 12:00pm. _Shit, I'm later for work. I have to run to the diner._

Johnny comes out of the bathroom. He just finished taking a bath and his towel is wrapped around his waist. He looks hunky and I feel like a sick puppy salivating over a pile of tasty bones. "Why didn't you wake me up when my alarm went off?" I ask him.

"I did. Like a hundred times. You kept on turning over, flipping between the two sides of the bed." He explains. "Did you want me to push you off the bed?" His tone is sarcastic but it ticks me off. He rarely uses this tone of voice and I know when he does, it means there is trouble brewing below the surface.

"What's your problem, Johnny?"

"What's my problem?! I'm not the one who has a problem. Maybe you can ask yourself that question." His voice is becoming louder and I start wishing I was deaf so I don't have to listen to whatever he is saying. "Do you remember what happened last night?"

I pause to think. I honestly don't recall anything except for that annoying blonde bitch, Caroline Channing, drinking the Grey Goose martini I got Johnny. I bring up my hands. "Ok, I don't have time for this nonsense right now. I'm late for work. I gotta run."

"Whatever you say, princess." He murmurs as he turns his back on to me.

_Now, I'm really pissed_. I raise my voice, almost like a shout. "What's with the attitude, you punk? Please don't ever talk like that to me. I don't appreciate that kind of tone or language."

He turns to face me again. And this time, he is pissed as well. "Fuck you, Max! I will talk to you in whatever tone I want. Especially after I catch you kissing someone else when we're together."

_What?! What is he talking about? _My memory is still fuzzy but I don't remember any kissing happening last night, especially not on my side. _Can it be true?_ I look him in the eye to see if it's a bait. He might be playing with me or trying to push my buttons. His actions may be that of anger or even hatred with a passion, but his facial expression shows that he is genuinely hurt. "I'm sorry, I don't recall anything that happened last night." I tell him, hoping that he would understand and forgive me.

"You always do this to me, Max! You can't just keep on using your drunken wasted state as an excuse." He comes near me and points to his chin. It's a big dark bruise the size of a ping pong ball. "Can you see that? That's what happened because of you. Your bartender boy toy did that."

"But you hurt me too when you were flirting with Caroline Channing. That's why I got drunk. I couldn't stand seeing you with her, as if you're both innocent. You KNEW she was flirting with you but you played along with it." I tell him how I really felt, because I want to get all the feelings out in the open. When a can of worms is open already, might as well pile on everything else.

He laughs like a mad man. "You're good. You really are. You always turn everything around. I can never win with you." He looks at me in disbelief. His voice is now a yell. "You should listen to what you're saying. You're blaming your alcoholism (drinking problem, alcohol addiction) on me. Grow up, Max!"

_I really have no time for this._ I think of what to reply back. I can't let him win just like that. All I can think of is: "Go to hell, Johnny!"

He smirks and retorts: "I'm already in hell and I don't want to be here anymore. I'm outta here. You won't see me anymore when you come back from work."

_Sure. If that's your solution, that works for me too._"Fine! Make sure you take all your junk along with you. You won't find them here if you forget them."

I leave the apartment and slam the door as hard as I can.


	6. Johnny's Studio - Caroline

**Johnny's Studio - Caroline**

My cellphone rings and I check to see who is calling. The screen flashes with the text **Johnny (artist)**. _Why could he be calling me? Maybe to thank our foundation for sponsoring his exhibit. _"Hi Johnny! What's up?"

"Are you free? I want to talk to you in person." His voice is tearing up. He's either sobbing or he's about to.

I feel sorry for him. He's really upset about something. "Sure. Where do you want to meet up?"

"Can you come over to my studio? I'm here right now. I honestly don't think I'm in any shape to leave the house."

_Poor Johnny. I hope it's nothing serious._ "Okay, I'll be there in thirty minutes. I just need to wrap up some paperwork for closing the art exhibit."

"Thanks Caroline. I really appreciate it."

_Anything for you, Johnny._ "See you soon." I hang up.

It's the first time I'm actually visiting his studio. It's also his apartment since he does all his work at home. He said that's where he feels the most creative. His inspiration comes in spurts and he can't control it by demand. I press the doorbell. After a few seconds, Johnny opens the door. He's wearing his pajamas and his hair is messy and frizzy. His eyes are blood shot red and I hope it's from consuming too much alcohol rather than something worse like drugs. His body is fidgeting and I can tell that his mind is unable to focus. He wasn't kidding when he said he was in no shape to go out.

"What's wrong, Johnny?" I ask him. "You don't look well."

"It's Max." He sobs. Then he cries even harder. "We broke up. Just like that."

Oh, this is not bad news for me but I don't want to exploit his vulnerability either. _I'll try my best to be a good friend and not try to hit on him. I don't want to be his rebound._ I give him a hug and tell him: "You can talk to me. I'm here and I'm listening." I lean his head against my shoulder.

"It's because of that bartender at the art exhibit."

I remember what happened that night. It's a night that I will never forget. The entire art exhibit had been a smashing success except for that unfortunate little drunken incident and the tabloids had picked up on it. "It's the past now. You can't keep dwelling on it. Max was really drunk. She didn't know what she was doing. Maybe the bartender took advantage of her. You know how bartenders can be. They have the booze." I rationalize Max's actions to try to make him feel better. Deep down, I hate myself for defending Max's side. _That low-level trash doesn't deserve a great guy like Johnny. How dare she cheat on Johnny? And during his own art exhibit too. It was supposed to be his night and she ruined it!_

"She put the blame to me, Caroline. She said I made her do it." Johnny said. His eyes are still wet with tears.

"That's absurd. Whatever she did is not your fault. She should be accountable for her own actions. She's not a kid anymore. You can't keep protecting her."

"Part of me thinks she was right." Johnny looks me in the eye. "You WERE flirting with me that night right? I hope I didn't just imagine it."

_I don't know what to say. Should I tell him the truth? It might not make things better._ I nod quietly.

"And I was playing along with your flirting. I find you really attractive." Johnny admits.

_I like you too Johnny; but this is not the best time to bring it up._ "Thank you." I say in a hushed voice.

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to get your pity. It's just that I have no one else to talk to and you seemed like you really care about me." He pauses. "I enjoy talking to you. I feel like I can talk to you about anything and you won't judge me."

I touch his hands to acknowledge that I'm hear, that I'm listening and that I won't judge him. "I feel the same way about you Johnny. You're a friend to me. I'm always going to be here for you if you need me."

"Caroline." He calls my name. It sounds so sweet coming from him.

I look him in the eye, searching for what he wants. "Johnny."

His eyes are so sad that I want to be lost inside them, to be able to find what's causing the pain inside him and somehow destroy those memories within him. _I can't resist it anymore._ I am drawn to him and I can feel a magnetic force pushing me closer to him. His lips touch mine and I feel a tingle run through my spine. The sensation excites me and my mind craves for it once more. I press my lips against his and he kisses me back. It feels so good, so natural. _If it's wrong, I'll pay for it later_.


	7. The Diner - Max

**The Diner - Max**

The day felt longer than usual. My thoughts kept on jumping to what happened with Johnny. We never had such an explosive blow-up before. Whenever there was a confrontation or argument, we kiss and make up within the next hour. He's easy going and doesn't hold a grudge. At least that's what I thought. I wonder what happened, what would cause him to blow his fuse like that.

"Max!" Han yells out. "Customers are waiting!"

_Ugh, sometimes I just want to quit from this diner. Today is one of those days._ "Coming, Han." I say, faking a big smile on my face.

I bring a plate of homemade angus beef burgers with a side of fries to a booth of hippies on a date. "Here you go." Then, I take their order numbers away.

As I pass by Han, I whisper to him: "Happy now, Han?"

I go in through the doors to the back of the kitchen where Oleg is busy flipping some more burgers. I check my cellphone. Still no voice mail or text message from him. Maybe I should just give him a call. I dial Johnny's number and it rings, and rings, and rings. _Why isn't he picking up? Where are you Johnny?_ It finally goes to voice mail.

_Hi, this is Johnny. I'm currently not available. Please leave your name, phone number and message after the beep. BEEP._

"Hi Johnny! This is Max. Uhm..I just want to talk to you…about what happened this morning. Please give me a call as soon as you get my message." _Darnit, I hope I don't sound too desperate_. _Maybe I was too harsh on him. I should have just apologized. I don't know what came over me. My period might be coming soon._

"MAX!" It's Han again and I can tell he's really unhappy, even to the point of mad, this time around.

"Sorry Han!" I apologize quickly. "My mind is scattered today."

"It's always scattered." His voice is annoyed. "You have to focus! That's your problem Max. That's why you never excel at anything." He keeps quiet and his mouth form an "oops".

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it." But maybe he did mean it. I dismiss his comment since he may be right. I don't particularly have anything to be proud of. I always thought it was because I wasn't educated or smart or good at math or Asian like Han. But maybe he's right. Maybe it's because I just don't focus long enough to exert the effort. My spirit is still deflated and even his negative comments can't make me feel even more down. I think I've hit rock bottom now. Why doesn't he just give me a call to spare me from all this guilt?

I remove my apron and tell Han: "I'm not feeling well. I'm taking the rest of the day off, Han."

Han nods and agrees. "Go ahead. Today's day off is free from me. Clear your mind and make yourself feel better. Come back tomorrow more focused on our customers." He pats my back.

Outside the diner, I try calling Johnny again. His phone rings. _Pick up! Pick up! Come on, Johnny. Where are you? _No luck, it goes to his voice mail again. I decide to go home and take a nap. I walk a few miles to my apartment and I'm home finally. I search my keys from my purse. _Hmm..did I leave them inside?_ I try to open the door. It's still locked. Maybe Johnny is still inside. Maybe he was joking when he said he was leaving. I knock on the door frantically. _Knock, knock, knock!_ I press my ear against the door. Silence. There's no one inside. Well, I guess I'll have to go to Johnny's studio and borrow his spare key instead. I'm so absent-minded. If my head wasn't attached to my head, I'll probably lose it too. Then, I would go no where which is where I am right now ironically.


	8. Johnny's Studio - Max, Caroline, Johnny

**Max**

The door is ominous like a brown giant guarding the other world. _Should I cross it?_ I ask myself. Maybe I should give Johnny some time to cool off; but how will I enter my home? I think about my other options. I remember giving my superintendent a copy of my key. Maybe I can get it from him. I stare at the door again, thinking of the most probable scenario that will happen once my fist starts knocking on it. Will he shout at me and make our argument worse? Will he apologize for his behavior? Should I apologize since I was the one at fault? Actually, that makes more sense. I decide that I will just go along with it - apologize to him for what a cheating idiot I have been, tell him how much I love him and how madly in love I am still, then we can have some make-up sex. Shouldn't be too complicated. This is Johnny we're talking about. He was madly in love with me at one point in time.

I knock on his door, my mind still worried about what mean things he might say to me. _Knock! Knock! Knock! _I patiently wait outside.

**Caroline**

That was the best love-making I've ever experienced. Johnny is just…special. I look at him, astounded by his prowess on the bed. His rawness reminds me of a caveman. My body is still naked next to his and I stroke the hair on his chest. I find it incredibly sexy.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

I jump up in shock and hide my naked body with the blanket. It's my reflex when I get surprised by something when I'm naked. Who can it be? I look at Johnny and see his expression change. From the initial surprise, there's now a worried look on his face. It's obvious that he wasn't expecting someone. But the worried look can only mean one thing - it might by Max, his girlfriend. This realization hits my head like a heavy brick freefalling from the sky. Shit! This is not good. I pick up my clothes and rush to the bathroom. Then the thought that I'm going to lose Johnny forever strikes me too. I really thought we had a connection too. I don't want him to get into trouble. But then again, should I let go of him right now when I have the perfect opportunity? They're already broken up, separated. What if they make up after tonight? Then I will have to hope that he and Max will breakup some time in the future again. I put on my clothes while I decide what I should do. How will I excuse myself now? I can say I came here for business to look at Johnny's artwork or even to commission some of his future paintings and sketches.

I take a deep breath.

**Johnny**

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

The loud knocks on my door startle me. I'm not expecting any deliveries today. Then I think who it can be. There can only be one person who will be looking for me here. Oh my god, can that be Max? But she should have a set of my keys. Then I remembered this morning when I was leaving her apartment, I saw a keychain sitting on top of the kitchen counter. She left all her keys inside her apartment. That's probably why she's here and why she has to knock and wait for me to answer the door. I let out a big sigh of relief. At least this wasn't the worst that could have happened. The worst would have been if Max still had her keys and she opened the door uncovering the scene of Caroline Channing naked right next to me on my bed. I would not have been able to live that down. Ok, calm down. She doesn't know anything has happened yet. She's the one at fault right now and she's probably here to apologize. I look at myself in the mirror to make sure that my hair is not messy and that there are no kiss marks anywhere near my face and neck. Thank god she leave me with a hickey. How will I explain this to Caroline? This mistake that happened. It's just a one time thing. We should never see or date each other again. I love Max; I don't want to ruin my relationship with Max. But Caroline Channing still has some business with me. We already scheduled a few other upcoming art exhibits for the next month. I hope this was also just casual for her, then we can just pretend nothing ever happened.

When Caroline comes out of the bathroom, I pull her aside to talk.


	9. The End

"Johnny! Are you there?" Max calls out impatiently.

She waited for a minute to hear a response but there was only silence. She turned her back and started to leave when the door opened.

Johnny stood there in front of her, holding the door open. "Why are you here, Max?" He asks.

Max looks down on her toes. "I came here to apologize." Then she gazes into Johnny's eyes. "I'm really sorry about what happened last night with the bartender….and what happened this morning…my blow-up on you. I caused everything. I had no right to blame you for my issues." She moves closer to Johnny and puts her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

The apology from Max, her sincerity and her embrace brought pangs of guilt to Johnny's heart. He slowly breaks away from her embrace and tells her softly. "Come in, Max. We need to talk."

His words worried Max. She had expected him to accept her apology and for them to make up. It was a stupid fight, at least on her side. She thought it would be no big deal. People say stupid hurtful things all the time and then, they forget it after a day or two.

While Max sat waiting at the couch, Johnny brewed a fresh cup of coffee for Max. He handed the cup to her. "Here, have some coffee."

"Mmmm..French Vanilla…tasty." Max forced out a grin and asked. "So what do you want to talk about?"

His expression is serious and it brings chills to Max. "We need to talk about us."

Max puts down her coffee cup on the table. She wanted her full focus to be on what Johnny was about to say. "Okay, I'm listening. You talk."

Johnny touches Max's hands and holds on to them. "Please don't get mad at me. I have to tell you something. Something not very good."

Max sits still and her expression remains the same. She's steeling herself from what kind of damage can possibly come out of Johnny's mouth.

"Caroline Channing came over earlier." He bit his lip nervously.

There was a shocked expression on Max's face. Her mouth fell open and her eyes were wide open. She nodded since she knew what was coming next. "You slept with her." She whispers softly.

Johnny breaks her eye contact with Max and nods.

"I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have come here." Max whispers to herself, barely audible. Her voice was now a gasp and her throat was becoming raspier.

Max starts hitting Johnny on the chest repeatedly. "How could you Johnny?" She looks at him, her eyes were now soaked in tears. "Fuck! It's been only a few hours."

"I'm sorry, Max. Please forgive me." He holds on to Max's hands tightly, afraid that she would run away. "Please, Max. I love you."

"How can you love me when you just had sex with the person I hate the most?" She hits Johnny again, punching him on the chest. "You disgust me!"

"Max, please." Johnny pleaded. Then he sprang into offensive mode, clutching desperately on his last hope for an argument or consideration. "You kissed the bartender the other night too. So we're just even."

Max slaps Johnny on the face as hard as she can. "You really have the nerve, Johnny!" She yells at him. "I was drunk and it was only a kiss." Then she points at him and pokes his chest. "You were sober and you slept with her. In what universe will those two scenarios be considered even?"

Johnny grabs her and pulls her closer to him. "Max, please forgive me. Give me one last chance to make it up to you."

She pushes him away. "NO! We're over and I don't ever want to see you again." She extends her hand out. "Please give me back the spare key for my apartment." She takes the key from Johnny's hand forcefully and storms out of his studio.

As soon as the door of his studio slammed shut and Max was no longer there, Johnny buries his face in his hands in regret. The girl she loved so deeply and more than anyone else he had ever dated just walked out of his life because of one stupid mistake. The temptation had been so strong and his human instincts failed him. Now his humanity caused him his soul mate, at least whom he thought was his soul mate. He feels a soft hand on his shoulder, stroking him. He looks up and turns to face the blonde girl who caused it all - the sweet and blissful love-making followed by eternal misery. It had all happened so fast.


End file.
